The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-02-02
She Fell Four Hundred Feet.

CHICAGO. Jan 23.-Nrs. T. J. Towns
ley.the Chicago lady who was an occupant
Of the stage coach that toppied a distance
of 400 feet down Independence Pass. Colo
RADIO, lizt month. she not sustaining a.
much as scratch. arrived in this city
YESTERDAY She i a progressing lady,
about > wears OF age Describing the
marvellous accident, the details Of which
have not before been in printed. she
says
At dlybreak, December Is. I waken-
Ell at NV hotel in Leajyille and WIS in
formed thar the Aspen stage was waiting
for IRE. II was bitter cold ami showing
80 densely that the driver had to pilot
me TO the coach. I had on beavy dou-
ble-fold velvet dress, sellskin saclue
a bufilo robe pinned over my shoulders
my head covered by a fur cop ami nay
face enveioped in shawl. allowing an
aperture for my ewes Despite all these
projections I was frightfully cold The
coach was drawn by six horses and was
Oh wheels We preceded by the Granite
coach, which was on runners The road
over Elk Mountain Is q natural one that
viii admit Of but single coach passing
At the apex Of the mountain the Granite
couch halted in 4 station blasted ont o.
the rock. and allowed lis 20 20 ahead
Here the descent began, the road At this
point running an incline of forty-hve de-
grees The driver put or bis loek-chain
to the wheels, thus virtually conv -rtiuz
them into runners. The vehicle. despite
these precautions, BY It's own weight vent
dowa at a trightiul pace We couli bare
Is keep oar seats. We balanced our
selves as best We could Running up from
the truck and through the box Of the
couch WIS 4 pcrprn lirular b1r Of steel
called the king pin. I held 70 this and
managed to keep myself right side up.
Down the narrow path in the sile Of the
mountain We vent with the horses in a
mad -lllop 10 keep the cElch from run
ming them iowu.
We wer. rounding Independent Pass.
when -uidenly the iriver criei -' Jump.
jump for your-' lie never finished the
sentence. He had been holding the cnach
"a near the embankment as the narrow
pass would permit Ahead OF him he
saa heavy boulder toppIe and fall down
the mountain side AMI into the path.
This clu-el him % make the cry Of
warning. The obstruction was but TWEEN
ty yards ahead Of him ant il WIS beyond
human power to stay the impetus the
coach had gotten coming down the in
cline saw the driver leap. Inside We
all held on to the king-pin Down we
went in another instant the forward
wheels struck the rock. The hind part
Of the coach WIS thrown for ward ani ont
ward and the k,ng-pin snapped asunder
like a reed The coach with all in it
went over the precipiee Oh IL side and
{ thro1gh the window fell out LES for
tunate than myself, the coach and my
( fellow-tourists lodged IN a crevice on the
side Of the precpice some 80 feet below
I the road. was thrown out with such
force that I cleared his crag and kept
on and down the f1lI 400 feet to the bed
Of the canyon and into bank Of snow.
cutting ms way into it a. if il was water.
head first
The Granite coach, Just 70 the rear Of
u. pulled into 4 notch in the rocks and
the driver and some prospeetors got out
and began 10 climb down 10 where had
lodged Armed with shoveis. they began
to dig me ont. and il is curious 10 relate
that the one flesh wound I received was
from the blade Of a shoFel, which plowed
up farrOw in nv ankle when they reach
Ell me. was finally dug out uneonsci-
ous and TO all appearances ieai- Restor-
atives were administered and was taken
Up and carried 70 the dollhouse at the
top of the cliff Here my hands and 1 nb-
we're rubbed and face slapped until my
che,.ks were raw. but all % no avail
~ black in the face and there was no
audible or visible respiration was EFF
IN the care Of the soil-keeper and the